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**Basel** · 04-03-2009, 12:22 AM

Quote:

DENVER (AP) - The Denver Nuggets' reserves helped them reach another milestone.

The Nuggets reached 50 wins faster than any time in their NBA history Thursday night, when J.R. Smith sank eight 3-pointers and scored 28 points and Chris Andersen blocked a career-best eight shots in a 114-104 victory over the Utah Jazz.

Smith had 21 points in 15 minutes in the first half, helping turn an 11-point deficit into a 54-43 halftime lead that Denver never surrendered against a team that's lost six of its last seven road games.

''It was unbelievable. I was shocked with myself at some of the shots,'' said Smith, whose eight 3-pointers tied a career high, and was one shy of the franchise mark set by Michael Adams in 1991 and tied four years later by Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf.

''Were we ready for it? Not really,'' Utah's Deron Williams said. ''The scouting report, that's exactly what we said when talking about J.R. Smith. He's a guy that can come in, if he heats up, he's like one of the best players in the NBA. When he gets it going, he's got unlimited range. He's a volume shooter and he made some tough shots.

''He got them going. They were a little sluggish at first, they weren't expecting that, and he got their confidence up.''

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/bas...pageType=recap

jericho · 04-03-2009, 06:48 AM

Wow, I'm kinda shocked...I didn't realize they were doing that well.

To my memory their last run as a real contender was over 20 years ago, when the Kiki trade brought them Lever, Natt and Cooper and sent them on their only trip to the NBA finals against Houston's Twin Towers.

But I still have trouble considering them contenders this season, though - in part because I still think they're missing a piece or two, but mainly because there are at least three teams that are clearly better.

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